


(falling) into place

by MrsNoraPalmer



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Because I can, F/F, F/M, Gen, HS AU, I'm so sorry, and said i could, because someone else did, i'm lowkey proud of this fic, mental health and editing do not go hand in hand, which is funny since i'm posting it four months later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22521013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsNoraPalmer/pseuds/MrsNoraPalmer
Summary: High school AU Nora and Ray are paired up to take care of a fake robot baby for a class. Both have harbored a crush on each other. So will this close proximity finally push them together?
Relationships: Background Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe, Nora Darhk/Ray Palmer
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	(falling) into place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Phoebmonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebmonster/gifts).
  * Inspired by [if only, if only (you were mine)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20820533) by [Phoebmonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebmonster/pseuds/Phoebmonster). 



> OKAY SO huge shout out to phoebmonster for writing the avalance fic and inviting anyone to write the other ships version of the weekend. I immediately asked if I could write the darhkatom one, wrote in like a week and then never put it up because i suck. It's here now! She read it on google docs when I first finished it so I don't feel as bad but yeah, this one's for you babe.

Nothing had ever quite fallen into place for Nora Darhk. Her parents sucked. _Really sucked_. Sucked so much her dad was under a widely broadcasted investigation for being into some shady shit. Her mother was absent. Being the mayor was hard work but being the mayor facing while facing the scrutiny of her husband’s less than legal earnings, even worse.

Nora mostly lived at the Sharpe’s now. Or the Tomaz’s.

But not this weekend.

No. Because for once things had fallen into place for Nora Anne Darhk. Because as Professor Stein prattled off about their assignment for the weekend, as she eyed the wide array of fake babies, she felt a nudge from beside her. Raymond Carson Palmer had just nudged her and asked her if she wanted to be his partner on the project. He knew she was smart and would stick to the assignment. He asked her because the person to his right was John Constantine and well, he knew that the results of working with him would be the exact opposite.

And now Nora would be spending the next three days give or take a few hours, with the boy she’d harbored a crush for for as long as she could remember. Ray had been an amazing friend especially in the last year since her dad was under investigation. He’d offer to let her crash at his house at any time if she had no where else but not only did the Sharpe’s open their home as often as Nora liked, but the Tomaz family as well. So there hadn’t been a need. And spending the night in that close of proximity, at night, with a boy she had wanted to be deserving of being loved by, would be far too much for her to handle.

But now that was a reality.

For the next three days it had to be or they’d fail the assignment.

Nora was basically forced to play house with Ray and she could hardly function at the thought. She nodded eventually, agreeing to be Ray’s partner and glanced back at her best friend Ava with an apologetic smile but from the look on Ava’s face she could already tell the blonde knew exactly what was going on.

They were all moving, shuffling into pairs, Nora cringed hearing Ava being paired with Sara Lance. Good, though. Hopefully they’d sort out whatever sexual tension they reeked of every time they were in the same room over the course of the weekend.

As for her and Ray…

“Do you want a boy or girl?” Ray asked excitedly.

“As long as the baby’s healthy.” Nora let slip out before she realized.

Ray took it as a joke and picked up a dark haired baby girl. He cradled her in his arms. Ray was a natural at holding kids because of course he was. As if her hormones didn’t go crazy enough over stuff he did.

“She looks like you.” Ray held out the baby and Nora held up her hands.

“I am not… good with kids. I’ll just break her.”

“When we get back to my house I can show you how.”

Nora froze, being reminded again that she’d be spending three whole days with this boy.

“Is it okay that we do my house? I figured yours was…”

“Under constant FBI surveillance?” She gave him a pointed look.

“No I just meant things can’t be easy at home. I don’t want to add to your stress if being at home is going to make things worse. My mom is making lasagna tonight. If you don’t feel comfortable staying the night then I got this. I don’t want to do anything you don’t want to do.”

Nora was touched by his gesture. “Your house is fine. I promise. I gotta get my bag from Ava’s car and swing by my house for fresh stuff but I’ll meet you there?”

“Who will have our bundle of joy in the meantime?”

Nora shrugged. “Ummm.”

“Don’t stress Nora, I got this. It’s going to be okay.”

Would it?

xxxx

Nora tried to make sure she was over at Ray’s before the baby turned on. She pulled into his driveway and carried her things inside. She had panic packed, overthinking each article of clothing she was putting into the duffel bag but hopefully she had also overpacked and would be able to make sensible outfits each day.

Ray answered the door with the baby on his hip, in a different onesie than she came in, this one was purple with galaxies on and Nora tilted her head.

“You changed her?”

“My cousin had a baby last year and needed some extra storage space for her daughter’s old clothes and stuff so I found this one in the attic. I think it makes her look quite fashionable.”

Nora’s throat went dry. God, how would she survive the weekend?

“Alright well umm has she done anything yet? Also where can I put my stuff? Here in the living room?”

“No nonsense, we should really be both in the same amount of proximity to the baby so we can equally share the responsibilities. I have a full bed and a comfy desk chair.”

“Okay great I’ll take the chair.”

Ray waved her off. “No, I have the chair, you take the bed.”

Nora shook her head. “No way I’m smaller, I’ll fit in the chair. I’m not taking your bed from you.”

“Why don’t we figure this out closer to bedtime?”

Nora nodded, agreeing to table it for the moment. She looked around at Ray’s house, it was a quiet average home in an average suburb. Pictures of him and his twin brother Sydney (who since high school began living full time with their dad) lined the walls. Nora smiled almost involuntarily at a picture of a baby Ray, flashing a toothless grin.

“How did you know that’s me?”

Nora shrugged. “There’s pictures of you and Sydney but the singular pictures are all you. I can tell you two apart.”

Ray ducked his head. “Do you want a snack? My mom should be home in about an hour from work and will get the lasagna rolling in like an hour and a half.”

Nora shrugged. “Umm just some crackers if you got them? And a ginger ale?”

“Are you not feeling well?”

Nora shook her head. “I feel fine but it was the only thing I could think of that wasn’t too heavy and that most houses have.”

“Coming right up then!”

Ray opened the fridge door to grab her drink when the baby started crying. Nora went over to him and bit her lip. It made sense for her to take the baby but what if she dropped it?

“Do you feel comfortable taking her?”

Nora shook her head. “Not really but what choice do I have?”

“It’s really simple, plus, it is a fake baby so if you don’t hold it properly the first time, you’re not going to do any actual damage.”

“Unless I drop it.” Nora muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing!” Nora sighed. “Okay, just show me how to hold the fricken baby.”

Ray turned and Nora held out her arms. Ray carefully placed the baby into her outstretched hands and folded them in so she could cradle the baby properly. Almost instinctively, maybe because she’d see it on television, Nora started to do a bounce and jiggle with the baby. The robot baby calmed almost immediately.

“See? You’re a natural.” Ray smiled. His eyes lingered on her for almost too long. Not that Nora minded but something had shifted in the way he looked at her and she wasn’t sure what to do.

“You say that until I drop her. Also do we wanna just keep calling her by feminine pronouns? Or do we wanna actually give her a name?”

“If you want, we can totally give her a name!”

“Do you think our friends are gonna give their babies names?”

“Probably. I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Do you have any in mind?”

Nora thought for a minute. She would not reveal the actual names she had stored deep away in her heart for her actual future children. If she ever actually got old enough to have future children. So two names were definitely out. She shrugged. “Not really umm… Sophia?”

Ray shook his head. “She doesn’t really look like a Sophia.”

“She’s a fake baby. She doesn’t really look like anyone other than a generic baby with dark hair and white skin.”

Ray shrugged. “I think she kind of looks like you.”

“But she has your eyes.” Nora, for the second time that day, wished she would put a little more thought into her words before saying them.

Ray tried to hide his blush and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah… umm… your name is short for Eleanor, right?”

“You wanna call her Eleanor?” Nora gestured as Ray resumed getting her the soda and crackers.

“I feel like that would be confusing umm… but I like it… it’s really pretty. Maybe something similar?”

“What, like Elena?”

“Yeah… like Elena.” He smiled at her and then down to their fake baby. “I think she’s an Elena.”

“Elena Palmer it is.”

Nora scolded herself for the third time. And wished for some duct tape.

“She can be Darhk-Palmer.”

Nora shook her head. “I want to ditch that last name as soon as I can and definitely when I get married, if I get married, so my kid is so not being associated with the last name Darhk. Even if she’s fake.”

Ray sat her soda and crackers in front of her on the island and frowned. “I’m sorry, Nora, I know how hard this last year has been. I hope life starts treating you right. You deserve it.”

“From your mouth to God’s ears.” Nora bitterly replied and handed Ray the baby back so she could eat.

xxxx

When Ray’s mom came home, Nora could tell Sandy Palmer was a bit cagey around someone with the last name Darhk. Sure, she and Ray had grown closer in the last year but she’d never been to his house and certainly didn’t know his mom, so the likelihood of Ray telling his mom anything about Nora before this was probably slim to none. She probably just got all her information from her preferred newsource.

Nora had offered to help Ray’s mom cook but Sandy declined, saying Nora needed to focus on her homework, especially Ray’s project (Nora noticed how she didn’t say her and Ray’s project) and Nora awkwardly shuffled into Ray’s room, which would be her room as well for the next three days, and sat on the floor, pulling stuff out of her bag.

“Even if we haven’t finalized sleeping arrangements, you can sit on my bed and do homework. I do all my work at my desk.” Ray gestured to gadget for Robotic’s club in his hands.

Nora shrugged. “It’s whatever. I mean I don’t think your mom would exactly be thrilled about me making myself at home.”

Ray sat his invention down and swiveled in the chair to fully face her. “Hey… you’re here because of a school project. She cares about my education so she’ll just have to deal. Besides, I’ve filled her in on what the news leaves out or says wrong and so I’m sure once she gets to know you, see how wonderful you are, I’m sure she’ll be happy to have you over even when I’m not home.”

A small smile played on Nora’s lips and she glanced at Elena who was up on Ray’s bed surrounded by pillows on all sides. “Ray… what’s going on with Elena?”

Ray glanced over, thinking something was wrong. “Oh I put pillows around her so she wouldn’t fall off the bed.”

“She’s not real, she’s not going to roll.” Nora chuckled and looked down at the homework in her lap, wanting to knock out her grammar assignments and then move onto her assigned class reading.

“Which book did Hunter assign you?” He asked, noticing she had her English homework out.

“ _Persuasion_ , only the best Jane Austen novel.” Nora was thrilled to be assigned a book she’d read probably a dozen times over the years out of her own fruition.

“Oh so are you just going to go off memory?”

Nora shook her head and pulled out a well loved copy. “No way, I’m not passing up an opportunity to read about the pining and longing between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth with them finally being together in the end.” She clutched the book to her chest.

Ray stared at her, it was that same look again he gave her when she held Elena correctly on the first try and did the bounce and jiggle. Certainly the look wasn’t… romantically charged?

She didn’t have time to think anymore about it because Elena started crying. Nora reached for the small diaper bag they had put together and pulled out her ‘bottle’ she uncapped it and realized Ray had beat her to reaching Elena. He cradled the baby in his arms and she handed him the bottle. He fed her with practiced ease and Nora’s heart skipped a beat again. A warm pleasant feeling created somersaults in her belly and she had to force herself to resume working on her English homework before she got too ahead of herself, or worse, be caught staring by Ray.

When dinner rolled around, she shuffled to the table and settled into the chair with Elena in her lap. They didn’t want to leave the baby in his room on the off chance they didn’t hear her crying and if they went too long, they would be deducted big. Nora eyed the homemade lasagna and her mouth watered. Ray went ahead and plated her some and sat it in front of her, she threw him a grateful smile all while feeling daggers of distaste from Sandy across from her.

The family ate in silence after Nora’s attempts at conversation failed, twice. Ray had gladly picked up conversation from what she asked but it was clear that Sandy did not want to and that made the talking die out pretty fast.

At 8:30pm, Sandy got called back into work for an emergency, words about short staffed and bad accident on the highway were muttered as she threw back on her scrubs and rushed out the door.

That left Ray and Nora with an entire house to themselves and a fucking baby.

Nora’s mind raced.

“She should probably be winding down for bed by now. How do we know when she’s asleep?” Ray asked as he gently bounced and swayed Elena.

“Stein said that if we rock her or whatever between a certain time we’ll hear like soft breaths, almost like snoring. And if it’s longer than five minutes, she's asleep.”

Ray nodded in confirmation and offered to put the baby to sleep so Nora could grab a shower and get changed for bed if she needed.

Nora gladly took the opportunity to have the physical and mental space away from Ray Palmer holding a baby.

She showered, tried to find a happy medium between taking her time so she could mentally re-group and not wanting to take too long and run their water bill up. She finished combing her hair and pulled on her pajamas, just a plain gray shirt with her school’s logo and pajama pants with dogs on them. She slipped on fuzzy socks to complete her pajamas and shuffled out of the bathroom and back down the hall to Ray’s bedroom.

Ray put a finger to his lips and gestured to their fake baby in one of those rocker swings that sat on the floor. He must’ve further raided his cousin’s baby stash.

Nora shook her head and couldn’t help but smile. She sat down on his bed and crossed her legs. “Ummm, I got this if you wanna hop in the shower real quick.”

Ray looked at her. “Are you sure?”

Nora nodded. “Yeah. I think I can do this.”

Ray grabbed some pajamas from one of his drawers and disappeared down the hallway to the bathroom.

Nora, could not in fact, do this.

When Ray returned Nora was trying to hold up the fake baby as it shrilly wailed from the horrible speaker buried deep inside its chest cavity. Nora was crying now too, out of frustration and realization that she had failed.

Ray immediately took the baby and found the bottle, soothing it within minutes. Nora disappeared down the hallway to splash some water on her face and grabbed some tissues. She couldn’t go back in there. Ray had been gone ten minutes max and she had crumpled. Nora took a thirty minute shower and he was the pinnacle of parenthood.

She slid onto the floor and pushed her back against the bathtub. They were going to fail this assignment because of her. Because she was a fucking inadequate mess who could barely take care of herself. Ray had made a huge mistake. Any affection he did have for her probably had faded by now, realizing she’d just be a disaster at everything.

Eventually, she saw Ray’s figure standing in the doorway. He was holding Elena and Nora could hear the soft breaths, she was asleep but he was still holding her.

“I know the sleeping arrangements were up in the air but you sleeping on the bathroom floor is where I put my foot down. You deserve a real bed.”

Nora shook her head. “I can’t do this. You picked the wrong partner.”

Ray entered the bathroom and crouched down to meet her eye level. “We’re seventeen, there’s a reason we’re a little rough at this. Parents make just as bad of mistakes if not worse with their real babies. You just got a little overwhelmed. Everything is going to be okay. This is just the first night.”

“Easy for you to say, if you had a baby now you’d be fine. More than fine. You’d be dad of the year.” Nora sniffled into her tissues.

“I’d actually be scared half to death. I deal with robots and inventions all the time. So it was easy for me to see this the same way. And in what ways I could I did draw on my babysitting experience. But don’t let that make you think I’m not absolutely terrified I’m going to mess this up or when I actually do become a parent, I’m not going to just totally fail.”

“You’re not. I promise you won’t.”

“And I promise you won’t either. C’mon, let’s go back in my room, Elena should be asleep for the next little while.”

Ray was right. Elena stayed asleep long enough for them to wrap up their homework and then some that night. They were both sitting on his bed now, legs crossed, Nora was reading _Persuasion_ and starting to doze off but her mind wouldn’t let her. Every time she would relax enough to want to make the decision to sleep her mind wandered to Elena and she just couldn’t.

“Well…” Ray closed his Calc book. “I’m beat. I think I’m gonna hit the hay. I’ll lock up the house and then we can talk sleeping arrangements?”

Nora nodded. Him locking up the house bought her time. What would she say? How would this work? They were sleeping in the same room no question but…

“So do you wanna take the bed and I’ll take the chair?”

Nora sucked in a deep breath. “Or we could just… share… the bed is big enough.”

Ray was a bit thrown by her suggestion but awkwardly nodded. “Oh umm okay if you are comfortable.”

“You insist I deserve a real bed to sleep on, you don’t deserve to have your bed taken. If we can both fit this is a great compromise.”

Or so she thought.

Nora stared at the ceiling as Ray did the same. They laid stiff as boards underneath his navy blue squared striped comforter. She sucked in her bottom lip. She was about to say something when Elena started crying.

Ray was all too eager to get up and get the baby. She sat up on her elbows and observed him. The lights were out now, so he was only illuminated by the desk lamp he kept on so they could efficiently locate things like diapers and bottles for Elena when she would eventually wake them during the night.

And unfortunately, the way he was holding that baby, in the dark of the room, only made Nora fall harder for him. He fed Elena and burped her and Nora offered her arms out to rock her to sleep. Ray handed her the baby and Nora gently bounced the fake baby in her arms as Ray slid back into the bed. She felt his eyes on her as Elena eventually fell asleep.

“Thanks… by the way, for being here for me tonight. And a lot of other nights and days when I felt like I was drowning in all of the press and news and gossip. You kept my head above water and I can’t thank you enough.”

“That’s what friends are for right?” There was a tightness in his tone and Nora couldn’t place why.

“Yeah, that’s true I guess.”

“You’re a lot better at that than you think,” Ray replied, changing the subject.

“I think your bar is low.”

“I think the bar you set for yourself is way higher than any person could achieve.”

“Well shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among…” Nora realized how close their faces were, “land among the stars…” She breathed out. And then Ray was kissing her.

He pulled back almost immediately, apology written across his face. “Oh my god, Nora I’m so sorry, I just… you were sitting there quoting Norman Vincent Peale and you’re so good with Elena and you’re sitting in my bed holding a baby, a fake one, but a baby and I don’t know what came over me. I just wanted to kiss you. I mean… I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time now but the urge to just do it, finally won out.”

“You’ve wanted to kiss me for a long time?” Nora asked breathlessly.

Ray tried to deflect. “Yeah I mean… wow god I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that… you’re already in such a vulnerable spot and saying that when you’re here in my house and we’re stuck together on this project and…”

Nora pressed her lips to his before he could continue to backtrack. “I’ve wanted to kiss for a long time too.” She smiled at him, tears pricking at the back of her eyes.

“You have?”

Nora nodded. “Yeah. Umm… just a sec” She maneuvered out of bed and sat Elena back in the swing and tip-toed over to Ray’s bed. When she got back in, she immediately moved closer. “I don’t even want to admit how long I’ve wanted to kiss you.”

Ray chuckled quietly. “Well you’re in good company if you feel like confessing.”

Nora blushed. “So… does this mean?”

“That I’d like to date you, Nora Darhk.”

Nora smiled. “I’d like that. You know what else I would like?”

Ray looked at her. “Name it.”

“For you to kiss me again.”

Ray smiled and leaned in for the kiss. “It would be my pleasure.”

They laid there exchanging kisses occasionally, laying down and facing each other. Eventually they fell asleep wrapped around each other and woke up each time Elena cried. They hadn’t minded at all and once Elena was back to sleep they just repeated the cycle. Kiss. Cuddle. Fall asleep wrapped around the other like an octopus.

The next morning, Nora woke to an arm around her, soft snoring in her ear, and the very wonderful warm body of Ray Palmer pressed against her entire backside.

They were spooning now. She was facing his wall and they were faced away from Elena in the swing. His full bed was in the corner of his room so with the wall a short distance in front of her and Ray behind her, spooning her underneath his warm blankets, Nora Anne Darhk had never felt safer.

Eventually Ray stirred as well and smiled at Nora, stroking his fingers up and down her arm. Nora squirmed and rolled onto her back.

“Good morning,” he greeted.

“Good morning to you too.” She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “I know we promised the gang we would all do this in solidarity and meet up at Sara’s practice but you and this bed both feel immensely comfy.

Ray nodded. “That’s completely fair because laying in bed with you for an entire Saturday sounds like the stuff of dreams. How about I make you an omelette and then hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce.”

Nora gasped. “How do you know that’s how I like my cocoa?”

Ray ducked his head. “Well I’ve gone on enough drink runs for the entire friend group enough to take notice.”

“I see. Well yes I think I can be persuaded.” Nora leaned in for a kiss but they were interrupted by Elena. Nora chuckled. “Guess that’s reality hitting us in the face.” Nora got up this time, climbing over Ray and walking over to Elena. She changed her diaper and soothed her back down.

Ray turned and propped his head up on his elbow. “Yeah, reality is when a beautiful girl is helping you take care of a baby and you really want to kiss her but the baby needs a diaper change. Looking at my future here and it’s looking like a true hardship.” Ray replied sarcastically with amusement in his tone.

Nora’s breath caught in her chest at Ray’s words. She was standing up in the morning rays of sun, bouncing their fake baby into contentment and Ray just said he was looking at his future.

“I mean like… in general… not insinuating we’d have babies one day or anything we’re seventeen.”

“She’s Elena _Palmer_ , for a reason Ray.” Nora smiled kindly at him and walked out of his bedroom and down the hall to start her shower.

xxxx

When Nora exited the bathroom and came into the kitchen, she spotted Sandy’s nursing shoes by the door but saw that she wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“Mom’s asleep, she probably came in at like 4 or something. She’ll be asleep for a while so I just made enough for us two.”

Nora nodded and took Elena from him who he reported only cried once during Nora’s shower. She said she could handle watching her and eating if he wanted to hop into the shower and he thanked her. Now that they were… together… the thought of Ray Palmer naked just a few feet away really made her mind race. She had to keep her mind in check or they’d have a real baby on their hands in a matter of months.

Nora ate in a peaceful silence, Elena not fussing during Ray’s shower and he rejoined them, dropping a domestic kiss to her lips and sat across from her as they ate.

Ray washed up while Nora cleaned the kitchen and then they realized the time. Sara’s practice didn’t start for another hour.

“Well, mom, what do you want to do?” Ray asked as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Nora’s face flushed pink. “Well, dad, I’m not sure I’m ready for any kind of outing with her yet before Sara’s practice so why don’t we head back to your room and make out?”

Ray laughed low into her ear. He turned her in his arms and lifted her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and giggled as he carried her to his bedroom like that.

“As the lady wishes.” Ray smiled and covered her body with his.

xxxx

They decided to drive together in Ray’s car, Nora had Elena in her lap for the trip, thanks professor Stein for not equipping the students with baby carriers. When they got to Sara’s practice, they were one of the first ones to the soccer field, Sara, they were sure, if she had anything to say about it, probably wouldn’t get there very punctually.

Nora turned to face Ray and leaned in to kiss him. Just because she could.

“Is it okay if I tell Ava that we kissed? That we’re... “

“Boyfriend and girlfriend?”

Nora blushed bright red. “I’m Ray Palmer’s girlfriend.”

“And I’m Nora Darhk’s boyfriend.” Ray leaned in to kiss her again. “And proud to be.”

Nora smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, he pressed a kiss to her forehead as they watched the light filter over the soccer field before them.

“We should walk the trail after her practice. Give us some fresh air and a fairly low-pressure family outing we can photograph for extra credit.”

“I’d love that.” She intertwined their fingers. “Thank you, for everything.”

“That’s what boyfriends are for, right?” He smiled and kissed her head again, waiting until they spotted another friend’s car to head over to the field.

Nora couldn’t help her grin and lifted her head so she could kiss him again. “I sure hope so.”

xxxx

Nora was buzzing, itching, Jonesing to tell Ava about what had transpired. When she finally did, she knew exactly what she had suspected for Ava and Sara was finally happening. She was about to ask (okay pry) more but Ava and Sara’s fake baby ‘Bandit’ (Sara’s choice she was sure) started to cry.

Nora made her way back over to Ray and took Elena from him, settling the fake baby into her lap.

“I told her.” She smiled at her boyfriend. They were sitting next to Nate and Amaya, with the couple on the other side of Ray. With that in mind, she slid her free hand towards Ray and took his hand between them on the bleachers and intertwined their fingers as she held Elena to her chest with one hand.

Ray pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it, not caring who saw. “I told Nate.”

Nora laughed and bumped shoulders with him. “I see.” She settled in to watch the rest of Sara’s practice. Ray fetched their water bottles from his car and once the practice was over they bid goodbye to their friends, waiting to start the nature trail until after they all left.

People gave them a bit of odd stares, seeing two teenagers with a fake baby on Nora’s hip as they made their way through the nature trail that went into the woods that lined one side of the soccer complex. Ray had doused them in bug spray before they set into the woods (Nora had to remind him that Elena did not need bug spray since she didn’t have actual skin to get bit) and off they went.

They came to where the property backed up to a river and even with a fence separating the property line with the river, it was a beautiful sight.

Ray stopped them and pulled out his phone. “I think this would be a great family photo moment.”

Nora smiled and tucked herself into Ray’s side. She kissed his cheek as he took the picture with the river and its embankment behind them. He took another with them just smiling at the camera. He put his phone away and helped Nora to step off the rock she got up on to look somewhat closer in height to him and she slipped, grabbing onto him for support.

“If we hadn’t already started dating I think this is the part where we would’ve been standing so close that kissing each other would’ve been next to impossible to resist.” She laughed.

Ray kissed her, hard, the laugh died on her lips in the best way possible. They’d been dating maybe 12 hours now? And she knew things would only get more amazing.

When they got back to Ray’s house, Nora still wasn’t sure about outings with the fake baby in public beyond Sara’s practice. Ray understood and ordered pizza for lunch, Sandy had just left for work. She left money on the table for dinner as well and that left the two teens, alone, with the fake baby and their entire day ahead of them.

“How much homework do you have left to do?” Nora asked in between bites of pizza.

“I finished it all last night.”

“Me too! I mean I can always get ahead in _Persuasion_ but that’s not work, ya know?” She grinned behind her pizza.

Ray smiled fondly at her. There it was again.

“You looked at me like that when I was holding Elena for the first time and when I was talking about _Persuasion_ last night.”

“Because I love when you’re proud of what you’re talking about or of yourself or you're excited and passionate. Your eyes light up and you’re so beautiful in that moment.”

Nora swallowed hard and leaned over, kissing him sweetly. “I don’t know what to say. No one’s ever said anything like that to me before. You could have any girl in that school and you find that part of me beautiful?”

“I find all of you beautiful, Nora.” He sat their plates aside and pulled her into his lap as they sat on the couch. Elena was in the swing nearby, sleeping.

Nora blushed as Ray pulled her into his lap. “You know,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, “you let a girl stay with you for three days, kiss her, confess your love for her, pull her into your lap, help raise a fake baby with her, she’s not gonna wanna leave when the three days are up.”

“Does it look like I’m complaining?” Ray pulled her in for a slow kiss.

Nora’s eyes pricked with tears as they kissed. Ray wanted her here. He always had. He offered her his couch in case she needed a place to crash, now they were dating and he just wanted to be with her. That’s the only reason he wanted her close. Nora knew that Ray meant safe. Feeling safer than she’d ever felt in her entire life. She held on tighter even as they broke the kiss and pressed their foreheads together, her hands on his shoulders now. She could foresee herself staying at Ava’s less and less (probably a certain blonde taking over her frequent flyer miles) and when she wasn’t unfortunately home, she’d be curled up in the safe embrace of Ray’s arms.

xxxx

The rest of their afternoon involved watching musicals, finding out that their taste in movies was even similar than both having seen _Singin' in the Rain_. They took care of Elena as needed and now were turning in for the night. Nora was rummaging through her suitcase when she counted her shirts. If she wore one tonight for bed she wouldn’t have any for Monday morning before school. Nora sucked in a breath and bit her lip. She couldn’t wear the one from last night, she had gotten it dirty at breakfast (ketchup on hashbrowns going a bit crazy). She didn’t want to trouble Ray and do a small load of laundry, besides it would be well past bedtime before it was done.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Ray asked as he came back in from letting her change in his room. He realized she had not in fact even shut the door and changed in the first place.

“I don’t have enough night shirts and I really don’t wanna have to run to my house.”

“What about your one from this morning?”

“Ketchup remember? It looks like I was murdered in it.”

Ray chuckled and nodded. “Right well umm what if you borrowed one of mine?”

Nora’s breath nearly left her. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, absolutely, Nora. Here, hold our girl.” He grinned and passed Elena to her as he rummaged through a lower drawer in his chest of drawers. Nora tried to not stare as his jeans hugged his ass very nicely at this angle but he was her boyfriend, so if anyone could, it was her, right? If he didn’t like it, he would tell her and she would apologize and not do it again.

Ray pulled out a shirt, probably a men’s small and handed it to her. “I grew out of it in ninth grade but…”

Nora noticed the camp on the shirt. “It’s the camp where we met!” Nora grinned up at him. “Our whole friend group kind of formed that summer huh? People have come and gone but the core of us all met that summer before high school.”

Ray smiled. “I didn’t wanna throw away the shirt I was wearing when I met you. It’s too small on me now but it should fit you. You can have it if you want.”

Nora swallowed hard. “Ray…” She ducked her head. “We should’ve done this a while ago huh, become as nauseating as Nate and Amaya. Or maybe moreso.”

Ray took her hand. “I think things always have a way of working out the way they’re supposed to. I’ve loved getting to know you more and spend this time with you. It’s made every second of waiting since I met you worth it.” He pulled her in for a soft kiss. “Here, I’ll take Elena and I’ll let you change.”

“You don’t have to go all the way out there, just turn around, I know you’re too much of a gentleman to peek.” She laughed.

Ray’s throat dried. “Are you sure?”

Nora nodded. “Knowing you’ve been in love with me since we were fourteen really increases a girl’s trust.” She pecked his lips and handed him Elena. She pulled out her pajama pants and clean underwear and changed as soon as he turned around. She told him he could turn back and took Elena, instructing him to do the same if he was comfortable.

Finally, they were turning in for bed. Nora had just finished rubbing lotion on her arms and hands as she sat on the edge of Ray’s bed. She felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her back into the bed. She squealed and collapsed onto her side of the bed with Ray hovering above her.

“Hi.” He grinned.

“Hello there.” She ran her fingers through his hair and sighed happily. “You’re cute when you’re happy.”

“I do believe that you’re to blame.”

“Am I?” She smirked and kissed him softly.

“You are.”

“Well I guess we should get assigned to take care of a fake baby more often.”

“Bite your tongue.” He poked her sides.

Nora giggled and buried her face in the pillow. “Ray, no, please, I’m ticklish.”

“Right here?” He tickled the spots again and she squirmed. He had his fun until she accidentally kneed him in the thigh.

“Sorry!” She grimaced. “Did I hit anything… important?”

Ray shook his head and laid on his back. “Nope, we’re good.”

Nora let out a small giggle and placed a hand on his chest. “Your shirt smells like you. I like it. I’m keeping it.”

Ray wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “You’re more than welcome to keep anything of mine.”

“What about you? Can I keep you?”

Ray nodded. “You absolutely can.”

xxxx

They woke on Sunday with Elena keeping them up as much as they expected, they were in a better routine about it now though, having a night under their belt. When they woke at 6 to the sound of her crying, Ray rolled out of bed, knowing it was his turn.

“We’re a pretty well-oiled machine at this point. I thought the point of this was it would be so stressful and chaotic, it was supposed to scare us out of having kids.” Nora propped herself up on one elbow.

Ray chuckled as he fed Elena. “Well, I think the point was actually discourage teen pregnancy but prepare us for parenthood overall.”

“What? By reminding me you’re going to be a really sexy dad one day?” She smirked.

Ray sputtered and fumbled a bit putting Elena back in the swing. “You’re something else.” He crawled back under the covers.

“I do try.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Good morning, can we go back to sleep for a couple of hours?”

“We absolutely can.” He was about to pull the covers over them and had just started kissing her again when the door swung open, his mother standing, irate, in the doorway.

“Oh hey morning mom! Why… why does it not look like a good morning for you? Is everything okay?”

“Raymond Carson Palmer why is she in your bed!?”

“Because I wouldn’t let her take the chair.”

“Then why are you not in the chair?”

“Because she wouldn’t let me take the chair either. So we decided it was big enough and we would share.”

“Sharing includes doing pretty much everything that this assignment is supposed to be teaching you not to do!”

Ray shook his head. “It’s not some anti-sex campaign mom. It’s just about teaching preparedness. I do know what condoms are and if we ever get there I’ll make sure to have some on hand but we just started dating. We’ve only kissed. Not that it’s really any of your business.”

Nora jabbed him in the ribs for that.

“And played house! I had to work a twelve hour shift yesterday and now I see you two have been sharing a bed, playing house, under my roof. I thought you two weren’t dating so I felt a bit better about the whole situation but now…”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Palmer.” Nora shuffled out of the bed and over Ray. “You’re right… I’m sorry. I should’ve taken the couch.”

“You’re not going to ruin my son’s life, not more than you already have.”

Ray stood up, confused and a bit heated now. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Ray, you and I both know before you and her got close you were looking at Ivy League schools. Now that’s changed. You’re so smart you can get into those schools no problem.”

“Big problem, we don’t have the money. I’m not some science prodigy so it’s not like even a half scholarship is in my future and we make just enough for FAFSA to not really give us a dime. At least not to cover tuition. I’m thinking realistically.”

“No you’re thinking about what schools she might go to so you can follow her like a puppy and throw your life away.”

“That’s not true. I would love to go to school relatively close to wherever Nora ends up going because I want us to work but I’m not choosing those schools because of her. We didn’t even start dating until Friday night! But if going to the same school as her gets me away from this conversation then I will follow her anywhere she goes.”

Sandy pursed her lips. “This discussion is not over but I think we both need some rest before it’s discussed further. She sleeps in the chair from now on, understood?”

Ray didn’t respond but Sandy left anyways, he closed the door behind her and when he turned back, Nora looked close to tears.

“Nora…” He opened his arms and she came running, sobbing into his chest.

“So much for your mom liking me enough that she’d want me here even when you’re not home.” Nora buried her face into his chest and let the tears fall. “I’m so sorry, Ray I don’t want to cause problems between you two. I should go. I can take Elena and finish the assignment so you don’t have to fight with your mom I’m…”

“You’re not going anywhere. Unless you really want to. But I want us to stay right here, crawl back into that bed and pretend she never said any of those awful things.”

Nora pulled back and wiped her tears away. “But your mom said I had to sleep in the chair.”

“My mom said a lot of things in the heat of anger. She said awful things and you deserve to take it easy and rest, in a bed.”

“But…”

“No buts, I’m gonna hold my girlfriend and remind her that every word I said was true.”

“You’d really follow me wherever I went?”

Ray nodded. “If it was what was best for us both, absolutely.”

“I got into CCU, they have a great art program.”

“I got into CCU, too, they offered me a full ride as a presidential scholar.”

“Ray! That’s amazing!” She hugged him tight. “But you should go where you want, not just where I’m going.”

“Me and you starting over in Central City, dorm rooms floors? A short walk across campus apart? I’d love nothing more.”

“You’ll need to study, to be whatever fancy smart scientist you’re planning on being.”

“But I’ll want you by my side, watching you take the art world by storm, for all of it.”

Nora smiled and rested her head on his chest. “If you want. We should do it.”

“Yeah?”

Nora looked up at him. “Yeah.”

xxxx

After a tense Sunday with approximately (one) more argument with Sandy, they were more than happy to hand over baby Elena on Monday morning at 7am. They hated having to part but Nora had ‘accidentally’ left her car at Ray’s so she’d have to go back for it that afternoon.

She finally had a class with just Ava and she was dying to hear about the rest of her best friend’s weekend as well.

“I have so much to tell you.” They both said at the same time, then laughed.

Ava went first, talking about heading to her parents’ on Saturday and waking up in Sara’s arms and eventually leading up to their will they-won’t they status currently.

Nora finally divulged a more detailed retelling of Friday night, the kiss, sleeping in Ray’s arms. They had quite literally played house the entire weekend and she even retold the fight(s) with Sandy.

“And one of the best things.”

“You two had sex?”

Nora glared. “No. We’ve been dating for three days, give us a couple of weeks or something,” Nora joked.

“Sorry…” Ava ducked her head. “Go on.”

“After the first fight with his mom yesterday we talked about colleges and he’s got a full ride to CCU and my financial aid is gonna cover me pretty well so we’re gonna both go to CCU in the fall.”

“Nor, that’s amazing!” She hugged her friend. “You two are gonna be one of those nauseating couples who marry right out of high school and go to college together and pop out a million kids and are still gross and in love after forty years of marriage.”

Nora choked as she sipped her water bottle. “Excuse me? I’m not… we’re not… we just want to really give this a shot. And I think going to the same school will give us a fair shot. I haven’t had anything, ever, fall into place for me this well. I don’t want to screw things up with Ray.”

“You won’t. You two have always just needed to get the crap out of your eyes and see that you all have always been mad about each other.”

“Yeah I guess you’re right.”

The bell rang and Nora looked up, already seeing Ray anxiously waiting in the doorway for her. She grabbed her bag and walked over to him, taking his hand as they walked to English together.

xxxx

Two weeks later, they were finally going to get their grade back. Nora had still spent most of her nights at the Sharpe’s but her weekends, those were spent with Ray. Most of her free time in fact was spent with Ray. And she didn’t mind one bit. Not at all. Now that they were baby free, they had gone on dates, seeing the latest musical adaptation in theaters, gone to dinner, out to brunch, they now sat right next to each other in their big group at lunch, swapping food off each other’s plates.

They shuffled into Stein’s classroom and were instructed to sit according to their pairs. Nora had absolutely no problem shuffling closer to Ray, intertwining their fingers under the desk. Stein handed out the grades and they got theirs back. 85. Stein also commented he loved the picture of them at the park.

Ray high fived Nora. They had done it!

When they had a free period at the end of the day she had congratulated him by making out with him in the stacks on the top floor of the school library. Not that Ray minded.

She got a text later from Ava (while Nora was dozing in Ray’s arms, it was Friday night after all) about how she and Sara had kissed. Good, Nora thought, now Ava would stop teasing her about being so nauseating with Ray.

Needless to say though, Stein’s lesson would become very very handy about nine months after Ray and Nora graduated college. But the now Palmer’s (they’d been the Palmer’s since midway through freshman year) and couldn’t be more excited to see the other as a real parent.


End file.
